Miles Davis Live at the Plugged Nickel

[JSngry]

Yep.

[John L]

This thread is a good study in how people here can end up arguing and insulting each other over nothing.  I don't see any fundamental disagreement here over anything:

Everyone agrees that the playing on the Plugged Nickel recordings could sound like "noodling" to someone not very familiar with jazz.  Every also agrees (I believe) that this impression would be incorrect.  It doesn't mean that the person is stupid, just ignorant about modern jazz.  Of course, someone might also have in mind by "noodling" any improvisation that abstracts too far from the melody of the song.  OK, fine.  So what is there to argue about?

Similarly, we can all have different memories about whether or not there was a discussion here or on the Blue Note Board about a defective disc in the Plugged Nickel box.  What is the point of getting upset about it?

Let's try to chill a bit.

 

 

Edited October 14 by John L

[Big Beat Steve]

Wise words, John. 

[Stompin at the Savoy]

1 hour ago, John L said:

This thread is a good study in how people here can end up arguing and insulting each other over nothing.  I don't see any fundamental disagreement here over anything:

Everyone agrees that the playing on the Plugged Nickel recordings could sound like "noodling" to someone not very familiar with jazz.  Every also agrees (I believe) that this impression would be incorrect.  It doesn't mean that the person is stupid, just ignorant about modern jazz.  Of course, someone might also have in mind by "noodling" any improvisation that abstracts too far from the melody of the song.  OK, fine.  So what is there to argue about?

Similarly, we can all have different memories about whether or not there was a discussion here or on the Blue Note Board about a defective disc in the Plugged Nickel box.  What is the point of getting upset about it?

Let's try to chill a bit.

 

 

John, I like what you are saying and I just wish that were a true summation of what just happened.  It is true except for one participant.  Thinking of an old friend who is not in fact a 'bullshit person', just ignorant about jazz.

[Rooster_Ties]

Interestingly, my first jazz love was Miles Davis (starting around 1989) — and I probably had 50% of his Columbia output within 3 years (his 1956-70 output mainly, all years) — so a LOT quicker than I ever had any great volume of anyone else.

And I think I got hold of cassette dubs of the Japanese Complete Plugged Nickel around 1991 (along with Euro-boots of the 2nd great quintet, and lost quintet too).

ALL THAT SAID, I’ve only recently (last 5-6 years) been getting steadily more into bebop, and listening to 50’s and even 40’s jazz WAY more than I ever did 30-35 years ago.

So NOW (recently) when tracks off The Plugged Nickel come up on various Pandora stations for me — which happens a fair bit actually — now I’m hearing Miles (especially) through a whole new set of ears. All I hear is the distinction between his chops, and the chops of more fluid players from the 50’s, Diz, Byrd, Lee, Thad, KD, etc…

My frame of reference has definitely changed — or, rather, when I’m not really thinking about it, THAT’S what I’m more naturally focussing on in Miles’ playing.

Miles’ language was what I was ‘raised on’ (jazz-wise), and it always seemed perfectly natural — even all the Plugged Nickel material…

But now, it’s almost like I have to consciously put on a different set of ears to listen to the Plugged Nickel material — which I’m happy to do — but I’m literally reminding myself (momentarily) that he’s not playing out of the same bag of ideas as the norms for be-bop, and early hard-bop.

Never dreamed I’d be hearing Miles that way, but here I am.

[tranemonk]

On 10/13/2025 at 11:17 AM, clifford_thornton said:

Wow, there's more tension in this thread than on the Plugged Nickel set itself 😂

Seriously, though, it is very odd that the music has not been re-released on CD or LP since the boxed set/doorstop as far as I can tell. I have fond memories of first hearing some of it at my aunt's house (she used to post here), when I was first getting interested in jazz. The band was on fire and their collective search is riveting. I bought the set used, eventually, for a price that was not too insurmountable.

Miles' 100th is next year, and maybe we can expect some of these boxes to come back into circulation.

Is it my imagination, or is this a new re-issue? 

https://milesdavisstore.com/products/the-complete-plugged-nickel-live-1965-8-cd-box-set

 

[jazzbo]

A sort of reissue of a release, yes. Discussion here begins:

 

[JSngry]

Old wine, new bottles.

[Late]

I bought this box set a few days before Christmas in 1999. As a result, I weirdly associate the Plugged Nickel recordings with the holiday season. I need to get it out again and re-listen. There's always something new to discover. When I met Branford Marsalis (once after a concert) in 1991, he mentioned that these recordings contained his favorite Wayne Shorter.

[jazzbo]

That's interesting, thanks for sharing. It's among my favorite Shorter as well.

[Late]

The 1982 Art Blakey gig (at "Seventh Avenue South") that was filmed for VHS—with Messengers Wynton, Branford, Bill Pierce, Donald Brown, and Charles Fambrough—contains Branford solos (on alto) that really show (in my interpretation) he'd been listening to the Plugged Nickel recordings.

A Wayne influence in Branford's playing here? Agree or disagree! 😁

Walter Davis was in the audience!